Web mositening device



1967 R. E. HOGLVUND ET AL 3,338,212

WEB MOISTENING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet I Filed Aug.

BY WM 1967- R. E. HOGLUND AL 7 3,338,212

WEB MOISTENING DEVICE Filed Aug. 1, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet .2

T 11:- E- v INVENTORS mm 'w z- ATTORNEY 1967 R. E. HOGLUND ET AL 3,338,212

WEB MOISTENING DEVICE Filed Aug 4, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet ATTO R N EY Aug. 29, 1967 Filed Aug. 4, 1966 R. E. HOGLUND ET AL WEB MOISTENING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR s Fox 5 flaazwvfl 'as rm/E. 642.4 504 mu A.

ATTORNEY 3,338,212 Patented Aug. 29,1967

3,338,212 WEB MOISTENING DEVICE Roy E. Hoglund, Mifliinville, and Gustav E. Carlson,

Wyoming, Pa., assignors to Consolidated Cigar Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 4, 1966, Ser. No. 570,242 17 Claims. (Cl. 118262) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for uniformly moistening an intermittently advanced web includes an applicator roll having a compressible absorbent surface partially immersed in water and squeezed by an adjustable squeeze role, and a guide roll movable toward and away from the applicator roll, the web travelling between the guide and applicator rolls in engagement with the guide roll. Means actuated by the web feed means advance the guide roll toward engagement with the applicator roll upon advance of the web, and retract the guide roll upon stopping of the web. Accordingly, by the synchronous automatic control of the guide roll witth the web feed, moisture is applied to the web only when it is advanced and not while it is at rest.

The present invention relates generally to improvements in apparatus for treating webs and it relates in particullar to an improved apparatus for moistening an intermittently advanced web or band or reconstituted tobacco.

Bands or webs of reconstituted tobacco are widely used as binder and as wrapper in the production of cigars. The reconstituted tobacco consists primarily of finely comminuted tobacco distributed in a suitable binder such as many of the natural and synthetic gums and formed into a film or web. The cigar producing equipment employing reconstituted tobacco handles and uses the reconstituted tobacco as a band which is put up in a large roll, the band being intermittently drawn from the roll with the production of such cigar. It has been found desirable to moisten the reconstituted tobacco web prior to its application to the cigar to attain optimum results and efficient oper ation. However, due to the physical nature and fragility of the reconstituted tobacco web, the difficulty and undesirability of packaging the web as a large roll while under highly moist conditions, and as well as'the handling of the reconstituted tobacco band by the cigar producing machine during the binding and wrapping steps, no suitable apparatus free of drawbacks and disadvantages for moisting the band of reconstituted tobacco attendant its movement and employment in cigar producing equipment has heretofore been available.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved web treating apparatus.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved web moistening apparatus.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for uniformly moistening an intermittently advancing web or band of reconstituted tobacco.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved adjustable web moistening device.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of the above nature, characterized by its reliability, simplicity, ruggedness and flexibility.

The above and other objects of the present invention will become apparent for a reading of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a reconstituted tobacco web or band feed and moistening apparatus embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along line 22 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged top plan fragmentary view of the moisture applicator section of the improved apparatus;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view thereof illustrated in an operative condition;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 illustrated in a safety interlocked inoperative condition;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a manually actuatable moisture applicator section locking member;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged secitonal View taken along line 77 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 8 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View of the trailing portion of the apparatus;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary front elevational view, partially in section, of another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view taken along line 1010 in'FIGURE 9.

In a sense, the present invention contemplates the provision of a web treating apparatus comprising means for intermittently advancing a web, a liquid applicator, and actuating means for effecting engagement between said web and said liquid applicator during the advance of said web and disengagement between said web and said liquid applicator during the rest periods of said web.

Another feature of the present invention resides in a moisture applicator comprising a forwardly rotatable liquid applicator roll having a liquid absorbent compressible peripheral section, means for applying a liquid to said applicator roll, a squeeze roll engaging the peripheral surface of said applicator roll and means for guiding a web into engagement with said applicator roll peripheral surface forward of said squeeze roll.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly FIGURES l to 8 thereof which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention, reference numeral 10 generally designates the improved apparatus as applied to the production of cigars employing reconstituted tobacco in web or band form as the cigar wrapper. The apparatus 10 includes a conventional machine 11 for applying wrapper to the cigar and an assembly section 12, of known construction, for intermittently feeding a band of reconstituted tobacco to cigar Wrapping machine 11. Cigar machine 11 includes a wrapper die turret 13 to which the reconstituted tobacco web or band is intermittently fed for application to the bound cigar.

Tobacco web or band feed section 12 has associated therewith a tobacco band moistening assembly 14 in accordance with the present invention and includes a longitudinally extending base plate 16 provided at one end along the rear thereof with a vertical upwardly directed 'mounting plate 17 and along the opposite end thereof with the upwardly directed vertical mounting post or frame 18. A horizontal longitudinally extending feed table or platform 19 is suitably supported above base plate 16 and extends from mounting plate 17 to a point short of the post 18, the wrapper die turret 13 being positioned between the leading end of platform 19 and post 18 and having an upper face substantially at the level of feed platform 19.

A longitudinally extending horizontal track 21 is Supported by and between mounting plate 17 and post 18 above the levels of turret 13 and feed table 19. A band transport or transfer assembly 27 includes a sleeve 22 which slidably engages track 21 and carries a vertical cylinder 23 which engages a coaxial rod 24 supporting at the bottom thereof a horizontal suction type transfer plate or foot 26 which extends in parallelism to platform 19. Transfer foot 26 is provided with openings in its underface which are connected to a source of suction, and plate 26 is vertically reciprocable between the level of platform 19 and a short distance above said level, the cont-rol of suction to foot 26, the vertical reciprocation of transfer foot 26 and the reciprocation of transfer assembly 27 along track 21 being periodically affected in known manner, foot 26 being depressed and suction applied when the transfer assembly 27 is in its fully retracted position at the right end of the track, as viewed in FIGURE 1 of the drawing. During the transfer cycle, foot 26 is raised and suction is applied thereto and assembly 27 is advanced a predetermined position above turret 13 whereupon the suction is removed and transfer assembly 27 returned to its retracted position. In order accurately to position foot 26 in its advanced position above turret 13, an adjustable abutment in the form of a longitudinal screw 28 engages a correspondingly tapped bore in mounting post 18 and is releasably locked in position by a nut 29, the inner end of screw 28 lying in the path of vertical member 23.

Suitably journalled to support plate 17 are a pair of vertically spaced, horizontal transverse shafts 30 which have secured thereto a pair of substantially contacting feed rolls 32 whose bite is substantially at the level of the top face of platform 19 and trails said platform. Afiixed to the rear section of shafts 30 behind mounting plate 17 are a pair of similarly dimensioned meshing gears 33 and a pinion 34, which latter is engaged by a quadrant gear 36, is freely rotatably mounted on the lower shaft 30 and is coupled thereto by way of an overruning clutch 37. Quadrant gear 36 is connected to the transfer assembly actuating mechanism in known manner so that quadrant gear 36 is swung downwardly during the advance movement of the transfer assembly 27 and upwardly during the return movement thereof. Overrunning clutch 37 is so oriented as to couple pinion 34 to shaft 30 only during the counterclockwise rotation of pinion 34 as viewed in FIGURES 1 and 8 so that the feed rolls are rotated with their engaging surfaces advancing toward the platform 19 only during advance \movement of transfer assembly 27. Trailing feed rolls 32 is a guide rod or roll 38 which is supported by mounting plate 17 at the level of and behind the bite of feed rolls 32. A transversely extending spindle 39 is supported at the upper part of mounting plate 17 and carries a roll R of reconstituted tobacco web or band B.

The band moistening assembly 14 comprises an opentopped receptacle or through 40 provided with a vertical rear wall 41 extending above the level of the front and side walls of the trough and abutting the leading face of a support bar 42 suitably carried by the mounting plate 17. The rear wall 41 of trough 40 is releasably secured to bar 42 by -a pair of transversely spaced C-clamps 43 which engage bar 42 and rear wall 41 and releasably clamp them together by means of thumb screws 44 carried by the C-clamps 43.

A suitably supported fluid reservoir in the form of a closed receptacle 46 is located above trough 40, and a feed pipe 47 communicates with the reservoir 46 through the bottom thereof and extends into trough 40 at the desired level of the liquid 48 therein so that, when the lever of liquid drops below that desired, the bottom opening of feed pipe 47 is exposed to permit the flow of air through the pipe 47 into the receptacle 46 and the release of liquid through the pipe 47 into the trough 40 to raise the liquid level to that of the bottom opening of feed pipe 47.

Mounted on bar 42 and flanking trough 40 are a pair of parallel longitudinally extending horizontal bars 48 which have, extending between and journalled in the forward sections thereof, a transversely extending shaft 49 positioned shortly above the leading section of the trough. Mounted on shaft 49 and rotatable therewith is an applicator cylinder or roll 50, the lower section of which is immersed in the liquid in trough 40. Applicator roll 50 carries a water absorbent compressible sleeve 51 which may be formed of any suitable highly water absorbent material from which liquid may be expressed by the application of pressure thereto, and is advantageously formed of a napped fabric such as mohair or the like of the type widely employed in paint rollers, or of any other suitable material, for example, polyurethane sponge or the like.

Shaft 49 projects rearwardly of the mounting plate 17 and has affixed to its trailing end a sprocket wheel 51 which is coupled by means of a sprocket chain 52 to a sprocket wheel 53 aflixed to the rear section of lower shaft 30 so that the applicator roll 50 is rotated simultaneously with the rotation of feed rolls 32.

An arrangement is provided for controlling the amount of liquid carried by applicator roll, which arrangement includes a pair of longitudinally extending slots 54 formed in bars 48 trailing shaft 49 and delineated at its trailing end by a wall 56. Horizontal longitudinal bores are formed in each wall 56 through which rotatably projects a rod 57 threaded at its leading section 58 and bearing against the front wall of slot 54. A transverse axle 59 extends between blocks 48 and projects through slots 54, the axle 59 having tapped diametric bores formed therein which are engaged by the threaded rod sections 58. Entrapped between the rear face of axle 59 and walls 56 are helical compression springs 60 encircling corresponding rods 57 and urging axle 59 toward applicator roll 50, rods 57 being provided with slotted trailing ends for the reception of a screw driver to permit the adjustment of the rods and hence the limiting forward position of axle 59.

Freely rotatably carried by axle 59 is a squeeze roll 61 which is urged with the axle 59 toward the applicator roll 50 under the influence of the compression springs 60. The distance of squeeze roll 61 from applicator roll 50 is adjustable by the rotation of rods 57 thereby to regulate the amount of liquid which is retained by the absorbent sleeve 52 on the applicator roll 50 and carried beyond squeeze roll 61. In order to releasably lock squeeze roll 61 in a retracted position out of engagement with the applicator roll 50, there is provided a cam plate 63 having a vertical slot 64 therein which is slidably engaged by a headed pin 65 mounted on front block 48 so as to permit vertical movement of cam plate 63. The trailing edge 66 of cam plate 63 is forwardly upwardly inclined and adapted to engage the front face of axle 59 so that the raising of the cam plate '63 effects the retraction of axle 59 and squeeze roll 61 from applicator roll 50, and the lowering of cam plate 63 releases axle 59 so that it can be advanced forwardly under the influence of springs 54 to advance squeeze roll '61 toward applicator roll 50.

Supported by mounting plate 17 above squeeze roll 61 is a forwardly projecting transverse stationary axle 67 which freely rockably supports a pair of transversely spaced bracket arms 68. Said bracket arms 68 project upwardly from axle 67 to above the level of applicator roll 50 and support a shaft 69 which extends and is journalled between the free end sections of the bracket 68, shaft 68 projecting rearwardly of bracket 68. A freely rotatable guide roll 7 0 is carried by shaft 69 between bracket arms 68 and is substantially coextensive with applicator roll 50. It is to be noted that guide roll 70 is normally gravityurged downwardly into engagement with applicator roll 50..

Guide roll 70 leads the web or band B of reconstituted tobacco from supply roll R selectively into and out of engagement with the applicator roll 50 in synchronism respectively with the advancing and resting periods of web or band B. To effect the retraction and advance of guide roll 70 out of and into engagement with the appliactor roll 50 there is provided a lever member 71 rockably supported at its upper end by a pin 72 projecting forwardly of the mounting plate 17, and including an upper trailing section 73 provided with an inclined upper edge 74. The lower trailing end of the lever edge 74 engages the underface of the section of shaft 69 which projects rearwardly of the rear of rockable bracket 68 so that the swinging of the lever 71 counterclockwise as viewed in FIGURES 1 and 2 effects raising of guide roll 70 out of engagement with applicator roll 50 and the swinging of lever 71 clockwise releases shaft 69 to permit the dropping of guide roll 70 under the influence of gravity into engagement with applicator roll 50.

In order to synchronize the rocking of the lever 71 with the movement of band B a slide rod 76 of transverse rectangular cross-section is pivotally connected at one end to a depending arm 77 of lever 71 at a point below pivot 72, and its forward section is slidably supportedby a guide block 78 mounted atop post 18. The longitudinal movement of the slide rod 76 is limited by a pair of longitudinally adjustable stop members 79 mounted on rod 76 along opposite sides of guide block 78.

A slip-type coupling member 80 is mounted atop transfer assembly 27 and is movable therewith. Coupling 80 engages slide rod 76. The coupling 80 comprises a yokeshaped block 81 having a longitudinally extending slot 82 formed in the top thereof to delineate a pair of spaced legs 83 positioned on opposite sides of slide rod 76. A pair of aligned transverse bores are formed in legs 83 and slidably engage corresponding rod-shaped friction members 84 whose inner ends are rounded and whose outer ends project beyond legs 83. A pair of leaf springs 86 have their lower ends secured to the lower part of block 81. Their upper ends bear on friction members 84 and are secured thereto by screws 87 registering with large openings in the leaf springs 86 resiliently to urge rods 84 into frictional engagement with rod 76. Thus, with the movement of transfer assembly 27 the rod 76'is advanced in a corresponding direction by means of coupling member 80 unless the retarding force of rod 76 exceeds the frictional engagement between coupling member 80 and slide rod 76.

A return lever 88 is pivotally mounted between its ends by .a pivot .pin 89 to the upper part of pOst 18 and is swingable about a transverse horizontal axis. The upper end of lever 88 bears on the leading stop member 79 of slide rod 76 and the lower end of lever 88 lies in the path of a push rod 90 mounted on transfer assembly 27. Push rod 90 includes a threaded trailing section 91 which engages a corresponding tapped bore in transfer assembly 27 so as to be longitudinally adjustable, and is releasably locked in position by a suitable lock nut. Thus, as transfer assembly 27 advances, it advances slide rod 76 to swing lever 71 clockwise thereby to lower guide roll 70. However, when the transfer assembly approaches the end of its forward stroke, rod 90 strikes the lower end of the lever 88 to swing lever '88 clockwise and to urge rod 76 rearwardly positively to raise guide roll 7 0.

A guide roll 92, mounted in an upwardly and forwardly inclined arm 97, is positioned parallel to and forwardly of and above guide roll 70. Guide roll 92 is rotatable on axle 94 which is adjustable along a longitudinal slot 96 formed in inclined arm 97. It is to be noted that guide rolls 92, 70 are so positioned relative to band B as it is drawn from roll R thereof that the pull is substantially along the longitudinal axis of bracket bars 68 so that there is a minimum effect of this pull on the position of the guide roll 7 0.

An interlock arrangement is provided for retracting guide roll 70 in the event the electrically energized clutch connecting the drive motor of apparatus to the main drive shaft thereof is de-energized. The arrangement includes a horizontal solenoid 98, mounted on a suitably supported plate 99, and provided with an axial arm or plunger 100 terminating at its forward end in a yoke section 101. Plunger 100 is normally spring-urged in conventional manner to its extended position with a force sufficient to overcome the retraction thereof consequent to the movement of the friction coupling member 80 in a direction for eflecting the depression of guide roll 70. A

link 102 includes a horizontal trailing section 103 extending into and between the legs of plunger yoke 101 and is provided at its trailing end with a longitudinal slot 104 which slidably engages a coupling pin 106 supported by the yoke legs to define a lost motion coupling. The leading section 107 of link 102 is upwardly forwardly inclined and is pin-connected to the lower end of the lever arm 77 at a point below slide bar 76. Thus, when solenoid 98 is deenergized, pin 106 is extended by the spring-influenced plunger 100 to permit the rocking of lever 71 by the reciprocating slide bar 76 and hence the raising and lowering of guide roll attendant the operation of the band feed section. However, upon de-energization of the drive clutch and the concurrent energization of solenoid 98, pin 106 is retracted by armature 100 to rock the lever 71 and raise guide roll 70 independently of any movement of slide bar 76. Any suitable means may be provided for energizing the solenoid 98 concurrently with the opening of the drive clutch associated with the apparatus.

An arrangement is provided for manually releasably locking the guide roll 70 in its raised position and includes a latching member 108 of substantially inverted U-shaped configuration including an upper cross-arm 109 and diverging leading and trailing depending legs 110 and 111 respectively, leg 110 having an aperture 112 formed therein and leg 111 having a rearwardly directed slot 113 formed therein. Latching member 108 is mounted on forward bracket bar 68, leg 110 abutting the leading face of bracket 68 and being rockably secured thereto by a stud 114 screwed into bracket 68 and provided with a pair of engaging nuts 116. A collar 117 is affixed to rigid axle 67 and is provided with a radially rearwardly projecting latch element in the form of a screw shank 118. To releasably lock bracket 68 and guide roll 70 in a raised position, they are merely lifted and slot 113 snapped into engagement with screw shank 118. To release guide roll 70 from its locked inoperative position leg 111 is merely snapped out of engagement with screw shank 118.

In the operation of apparatus 10 described above, the band B under normal operating conditions extends from roll R thereof about the trailing and lower periphery of guide roll 70, around the upper leading periphery of guide roll 92 and then downwardly about the guide roll 38 through the bite between feed rolls 32 and along the upper face of platform 19. With transfer assembly 27 in its retracted position, guide roll 70 is normally in its raised position, and with the energization of the drive clutch solenoid 98 is de-energized to effect the advance of plunger 100 to permit the raising and lowering of the guide roll 70. When the cigar machine 11 requires a length of tobacco band B foot piece 26 is depressed and suction is applied thereto to engage the leading section of the band B and transfer assembly 27 is advanced simultaneously to rotate feed rolls 72 and applicator roll 50. The advancing transfer assembly 27 advances slide rod 76 by way of friction coupling member to rock the lever 71 clockwise to depress the guide roll 70 and to bring band B engaging guide roll 70 into engagement with the water carrying sleeve 51 carried by applicator roll 50. Thus, during the advance of band B, moisture is applied thereto. As transfer assembly 27 reaches the end of its advance stroke, push rod strikes the lower end of lever 88 to rock it in a clockwise direction to push slide bar 76 to its retracted position whereby to rock lever 71 in a counterclockwise direction and raise guide roll 70 which, in turn, lifts band B out of contact with applicator roll 50. Band B is not brought into contact with the applicator roll 50 until it is advanced again concurrently with the movement of transfer assembly 27.

The amount of moisture applied to the advancing band B is controlled, as aforesaid, by adjusting screws 57 and hence the distance between applicator roll 50 and squeeze roll 61. Applicator roll sleeve 51 picks up water from trough 40 and the amount of water conveyed thereby to the contacting band B may be reduced or increased by correspondingly reducing or increasing the distance between rolls 50 and 61. Upon stopping the machine by 7 de-energizing the drive clutch solenoid 98 is energized thereby to hold guide roll 70 in its raised position and to prevent band B from engaging applicator roll 50.

In FIGURES 9 and 10 of the drawings there is illustrated another embodiment of the present invention which may be employed to advantage and which difiers from that first described primarily in the mechanism for lowering and raising the tobacco band guide roll into and out of engagement respectively with the liquid applicator roll with the advance of the tobacco band and with the retraction and rest period thereof. This embodiment is characterized by a simple versatile arrangement for adjusting the guide roll raising and lowering sequence relative to the band advancing cycle. Specifically, the apparatus shown in FIGURES 9 and 10 includes a positively driven applicator roll 110a provided with a compressible water absorbent sleeve 112a and partially immersed in the liquid in a trough 111a which is maintained at a constant level. A squeeze roll 113a is adjustably spring urged toward and trails applicator roll 110a and a vertically movable guide roll 114a is positioned above the applicator roll 110a. Rolls 110a, 113a and 114a correspond to and are related, driven and adjusted in the manner of the rolls 50, 61 and 70 of the first described embodiment.

A lever 116a is pivotally supported at its upper end by a pin 117a for rocking about a transverse axis and includes rearwardly and forwardly directed upper arms 118a and 119 respectively and a depending arm 120. Rear arm 118a is provided with an inclined upper edge 121 which engages the underface of a vertically movable axle 122 supporting guide roll 114a.

As in the earlier described embodiment, the lower end of arm 120 is connected by a link 123 to a spring-advanced armature 126 actuated to a retracted position by energization of solenoid 127, link 123 being connected to armature 126 by way of a lost motion coupling including a slot 128 formed in link 123 and a pin 129 carried by armature 126 and engaging the slot 128. Lever 116a is rocked in synchronism with the tobacco band advancing and transfer mechanism by means of a cam wheel 130 mounted on a shaft 131 which is rotated by conventional mechanism a single revolution for each cycle of the band feed apparatus, of the structure previously described. A pair of arcuate cam rise members 132 and 133 respectively are secured in axial and circumferentially offset positions to the periphery of cam wheel 130 and are circumferentially adjustable thereon, rise members 132 and 133 being in side-by-side overlapping relationship.

Rise members 132 and 133 are of channel shape and include a cross web 134 and opposite rearwardly outwardly directed legs 136. A pair of longitudinally spaced elongated slots 137 is formed in each web 134 and these have registering therewith the shanks of headed screws 138 which engage correspondingly tapped radial bores formed in wheel 130. Thus, rise members 132 and 133 are individually adjustable along the periphery of wheel 130 by loosening screws 138, sliding members 132 and 133 as desired, and thence tightening screws 138. The rise and fall section of cams 132, 133 are thus adjustable in phase and in length. The outer ends of the rise members are inclined as at 139 to effect a smooth transition from the depressed portion of the cam assembly to the rise portion thereof.

A bell crank 140 includes a knuckle-defining sleeve 141 which rockablyengages a suitably supported axle 142 and angularly related upper and lower rearwardly projecting arms 143 and 144 respectively. The lower arm 144 carries a longitudinally projecting axle 146 which rotatably supports a follower wheel 157 of somewhat greater width than the combined widths of rise members 142 and 143. Follower 147 is resiliently urged into engagement with the cam 130 and the rise members 132 and 133 by means of a helical tension spring 148 extending between the lower arm 144 and a suitable stationary member 149. Upper arm 143 has a longitudinal slot 150 formed adjacent its free end, said slot 150 slidably engaging a pin 151 projecting from a connecting rod 152 which extends vertically upwardly and is connected by means of an adjustable turn buckle yoke member 153 to a pin 154 carried by the free end of the lever arm 119. Cam wheel 130 and the rise sections 132 and 133 are so adjusted relative to the movement of the associated band transfer mechanism and feed rolls that during the advance of the tobacco band the roller 147 is engaged by rise members 132 and 133 to rock the bell crank counterclockwise, as viewed in FIGURE 10 of the drawings, and thereby rock the lever 116a clockwise, as viewed in FIGURE 9, to elfect the depression of the guide roll 114a into engagement with the applicator roll a. The reconstituted tobacco band traversing a path around guide roll 114a as previously explained is brought into engagement with aplicator 110a and is moistened thereby. During all other periods except upon advance of the tobacco band, that is, during the rest period and during the retraction of the transfer mechanism the follower 147 is out of engagement with rise sections 132 and 133 is urged by spring 148 to its clockwise position whereby to depress the connecting rod 152 and rock the lever 116 counterclockwise and raise the guide roll 114a. The raised guide roll 114a keeps the tobacco band or web out of engagement with the moist applicator roll 112a. In all other respects, the operation of the apparatus last described is similar to that first described.

While there have been described and illustrated preferred embodiments of the present invention, numerous alterations, omissions and additions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

We claim:

1. A web treating apparatus comprising means for intermittently advancing a web, a liquid applicator, and actuating means synchronized with the advance and rest period of said web effecting engagement between said web and said liquid applicator during the advance of said web and efiecting disengagement of said web from said liquid applicator during the rest periods of said web.

2. The web treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein said actuating means comprises a guide roll, means for leading said web about said guide roll, and means for alternately advancing and retracting said guide roll toward and away from said liquid applicator with the advance and rest periods of said Web respectively.

3. The web treating apparatus of claim 2, wherein said liquid applicator comprises an applicator roll parallel to said guide roll, means for applying a liquid to said applicator roll, and means for positively rotating said applicator roll during the advance of said web.

4. The web treating apparatus of claim 2, wherein said liquid applicator comprises a receptacle containing a liquid, an applicator roll parallel to said guide roll and partially immersed in said liquid and provided with a peripheral section of water absorbent compressible material, and a squeeze member urged into engagement with said applicator roll above said liquid level.

5. The web treating apparatus of claim 2, wherein said guide roll is normally advanced toward engagement with said applicator roll, and said guide roll retracting means comprises a lever coupled to said guide roll, and means for rocking said lever upon the termination of a web advance to retract said guide roll.

6. The web treating apparatus of claim 2, comprising means including a solenoid, a member actuated by said solenoid for urging said guide roll to a retracted position upon deenergization of said solenoid and for releasing said guide roll for movement between advanced and retracted positions upon energization of said solenoid.

7. The web treating apparatus of claim 2, wherein said guide roll is normally advanced toward engagement with said applicator roll, and said guide roll retracting means comprising a lever coupled to said guide roll and means for rocking said lever upon the termination of a web advance to retract said guide roll and a solenoid and a plunger actuated by said solenoid and spring urged to an advanced position upon deenergization of said solenoid and urged to a retracted position upon energization of said solenoid, and a lost motion coupling connecting said solenoid to said lever to retract and release said guide roll with the deenergization and energization of said solenoid.

8. The web treating apparatus of claim 2, including selectively actuatable means for releasably locking said guide roll in a retracted position.

9. The web treating apparatus of claim 2, wherein said web advancing means comprises a horizontally reciprocating transfer member provided with means for engaging said web during the advance of said transfer member and for releasing said web during the retraction of said transfer member, and said guide roll retracting and advancing means comprises a slide roll for controlling the advance and retraction of said guide roll, and a slip coupling member movable with said transfer member and friotionally slidably engaging said slide rod.

10. The web treating apparatus of claim 2, wherein said web advancing means comprises a horizontally reciprocating transfer member provided with means for engaging said web during the advance of said transfer member and for releasing said web during the retraction of said transfer member, and said guide roll retracting and advancing means comprises a slide rod for controlling the advance and retraction of said guide roll, and a lever swingable about a point between its end and having one end engaging said slide rod, and a strike member movable with said transfer foot into engagement with the other end of said lever.

11. The web treating apparatus of claim 2, wherein said guide roll retracting and advancing means comprises a cam rotatable in synchronisrn with said web advancing means, a follower engaging said cam, and means responsive to the position of said cam for controlling the position of said guide roller.

12. The web treating apparatus of claim 2, comprising means for adjusting the time of retraction and advance 10 of said guide roll relative to the period of advance of said web.

13. The web treating apparatus of claim 2, wherein said liquid applicator comprises a receptacle containing a liquid, an applicator roll parallel to said guide roll and partially immersed in said liquid and provided with a peripheral section of a water absorbent compressible material, a squeeze roll disposed adjacent and parallel to said applicator roll, spring means urging said squeeze roll toward said applicator roll, and adjustable means limiting the movement of said squeeze roll toward said applicator roll.

14. A web treating apparatus of claim 2 wherein said liquid applicator comprises a forwardly rotatable liquid applicator roll having a liquid absorbent compressible peripheral section, means for applying a liquid to said applicator roll, and a squeeze member engaging the peripheral surface of said applicator roll.

15. The web treating apparatus of claim 14, including means for varying the pressure between said applicator roll and said squeeze roll.

16. The web treating apparatus of claim 14, including means for advancing said web and means for positively rotating said applicator roll at a peripheral speed equal to that of the advance of said web.

17. The web treating apparatus of claim 14, wherein said liquid applying means comprises a receptacle containing a liquid, said applicator roll being partially immersed in said'liquid.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 930,911 8/1909 Wright 118262 X 1,812,704 6/1931 Malocsay 118238 X 1,874,059 8/1932 Paradise 118238 X 2,163,757 6/1939 Maclean et al 118 2,554,587 5/1951 Minkow 118 2,574,584 1 1/ 1951 Nasmith 118-262 X CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner. R. I. SMITH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A WEB TREATING APPARATUS COMPRISING MEANS FOR INTERMITTENTLY ADVANCING A WEB, A LIQUID APPLICATOR, AND ACTUATING MEANS SYNCHRONIZED WITH THE ADVANCE AND REST PERIOD OF THE SAID WEB EFFECTING ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN SAID WEB 